The Secret
by McMarvel
Summary: Reid has a secret.


**The Secret. **

Reid has a secret.

* * *

It started with a new scarf, blue and neatly knit cashmere that hung around his neck loosely. Blue definitely brought out his features.

"Penelope?" She startled when he called her name. She was starring right at him and apparently she had yet to say anything. To settle her curiosity she lightly lifted the edge of the new scarf he was wearing. It was soft to the touch. She frowned in confusion.

"What's this about?" His face scrunched up in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Penelope figured she was being silly but blue was just a new colour for him.

"What happened to your purple one you usually wear that one. This one is new" He shrugged.

"This was a gift." "From your mother?" She cheerfully envisioned Reid's mother still picking out her sons clothing after all this time. But he shook his head.

"From a friend." He corrected, and then his smile turned into something rather private. Penelope tilted her head and studied him the way she had just studied his scarf because Reid rarely had a secret and rarely did she not uncover the truth of it.

* * *

Then he had an appointment with the barber. Ever since Maeve was killed Reid had let his hair grow down in long messy curls. With slow exasperation Derek ruffled the now short locks on his head and sighed.

"You finally got cleaned up." He stated, although he felt like a father for commenting. He was just worried. The team was worried.

Spencer took a step back his hands running through his hair to fix the mess that Derek created. "I guess." He laughed lightly. His eyes stayed trained on the floor a little too long. When he finally looked up at him again he shrugged.

"You okay genius?" He meant it in the best way possible. He knew it was tough getting over a lost loved one.

"Yeah, yeah I am, I'm going to be." Spencer smiled and Derek gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Good." It was about time, but he didn't say that last part out loud and he didn't question him further.

"This is a good look for you anyway." Derek said comfortingly as he watched Spencer's face light up.

* * *

Following that, there was the Dr. Who mug incident.

"Spencer I'm so sorry, here let me get you a napkin or something." JJ rushed to grab the stack in the kitchen before hurrying back towards the boardroom. She lifted the mug and inspected it carefully. Her fingers gently traced the print of flying tardis' all along the travel mug.

"Dr. Who?" She chuckled standing the to go mug in an upright position on the table. Spencer shrugged tossing the sopping wet napkins in the garbage bin behind him.

"Yeah it's a British science-fiction television program produced by BBC. It's been running since 1963." JJ nodded.

"Isn't this what Penelope is into?" She said offhandedly. Spencer just nodded.

"Cute travel mug though, did you buy it?" She asked casually taking her seat next to her best friend and her son's godfather.

"Nope." Was all spencer said before taking a sip from the remaining liquid.

When he didn't carry on the conversation and respond further, she added "Oh. Did Garcia give it to you when she came back from her trip to see Prentiss?" He shook his head.

"Another friend bought it for me." JJ's lips formed a perfect O before Hotch and Penelope made their way in and the briefing began.

She noticed the tiny hint of confusion pass Penelope's face when she spotted the travel mug comfortably clutched in Dr. Spencer Reid's hands.

* * *

Hotch knew there were only two places Spencer Reid could be during a lunch break and today he was at neither. The break room was filled with agents but no Reid so that left one last option, his desk. Hotch passed by noticing his chair was empty. Perhaps he was in the washroom and in any case he would pass by his desk shortly. Minutes went by and Reid still hadn't showed up. It was unlikely that he went out for lunch for there was always a first for everything.

Hotch looked at the time, Strauss really needed those reports in and Reid had forgotten to drop them off on his desk last night like he was supposed to before he left for the night. He opened the first drawer taking out a stack of paper work, a book and a dvd. Slice 6. It didn't seem like a movie Reid would own but then again everyone had their own preferences and hobbies outside of work. Hotch flipped through the papers finally finding what he was looking for.

"Hey Sir about that thing that you wanted me to look into I-" Garcia stopped mid sentence when she found Hotch rummaging through Spencer's desk.

"Oh hey I didn't know he got this on dvd." She said picking up the Horror film and turning it over to read the back.

"Derek, Ashley, Spencer and I went to go see this in theatres like a year and a half ago. Super scary." She said setting the dvd back down on his desk. Penelope adjusted her glasses and looked back at Hotch.

"Right about what you asked me earlier." She continued but in the back of her head the movie had sparked some fond memories and some not so fond memories.

* * *

At the end of a long mission all anybody wanted to do was crash. It was late at night but the sound of Rossi's stomach grumbling loudly was enough to set off a chain reaction. Soon restaurant names were being thrown around but none of the options were open this late.

"I'm starving and normally I would go home and make a quick pasta but I'm so tired I think I might fall asleep waiting for the water to boil." Rossi complained as they all sat around Derek's desk.

"What about that place you go to all the time Reid?" Penelope asked her costume jewelry jingling when she took a seat at the edge of Derek's desk. Reid's eyes tore apart from his phone to look up at his team.

"Oh yeah I know of a super good Indian restaurant, it's a little ways away but its open twenty four hours." He said now shuffling through his desk. It didn't take a profiler to tell he had something else on his mind as his handed Rossi the take out menu.

"I'm sorry I can't join you all I have something pressing to take care of." He said heading out the door and leaving his team to shrug after his departure.

JJ was the first to laugh. "He's been acting so weird lately." Penelope said pouting slightly at their little agent being all secretive lately.

"Baby girl, don't take it personally. This is the first I've seen him make a decent effort of getting out of that depression slump he was in when Maeve died."

"He's probably excited about a sci-fi tv show or something he had taped while we were away." JJ explained shaking her head.

David Rossi was quiet as both he and Hotch read over the menu. "Guess Reid really likes their chicken tandoori." He says dropping the menu on Derek's desk so all

agents could get a better look. The Chicken tandoori for two was circled effectively silencing the other agents for a moment.

* * *

Hi there, this is my first time writing for Criminal Minds. This was just a little idea I had. Take it as you will. I just wanted to get the idea out of my mind and onto a word document and thought i'd share with the rest of you. Hopefully you got the little hints throughout this.

Disclaimer: I don't own CM otherwise I would bring back Ashley Seaver and have Reid be all cutesy with her.

Please let me know what you thought. If you're a beta reader i'd love to have some insight on how I could make this a little better. Hopefully it flows alright.


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